


Reggie's Love of Reading

by LuminousMe



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Country Music, Dyslexic Reggie, Gen, Mentions of Alex and Luke, Mentions of Clue, Mentions of Parents Being Terrible, Past Abuse, Reading, Reggie Molina, Reggie and Julie being siblings, adhd reggie, sibling-esque anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:08:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27014026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuminousMe/pseuds/LuminousMe
Summary: Reggie is dyslexic, but loves to read. Julie can’t solve a murder without finishing her reading assignment (about the children murder island) - This was not intentional.
Comments: 15
Kudos: 246





	Reggie's Love of Reading

When Reggie was young and alive, reading had been one of his favourite past times.

Of course, being dyslexic, reading didn’t exactly come easy to him; he read at a slow pace, often returning to the start of the line to re-read what his eyes had previously skimmed, and misreading words such as ‘was’ and ‘saw’ and ‘won't’ and ‘want.’

But he loved stories, and his parents were often found in the front room, watching TV among an air of hostility, so he tended to avoid the screen.

All his favourite records were narrative-based, too. He’d been gifted a second hand copy of Johnny Cash’ album _Rainbow_ for his 12th birthday, which he’d played relentlessly, until his father had roared through the house, ripped it from his record player and used his large, brutal hands to snap it in half. The fragile disc had splintered and small vinyl shards had fallen into the carpet fibres.

When his dad left the room, Reggie had assembled the shards of the vinyl and slotted them back inside the carboard sleeve, placing it carefully in the bottom of his drawer and letting socks settle over it. though he’d stepped on the less visable fragments for weeks afterwards.

When he was 14, he’d been at Alex’s house, perusing his book shelf while Alex slammed his sticks against his new drum set. 

_Goodnight, Mister Tom_. He’d seen the book in the library at his old middle school. When Alex noticed Reggie running his finger down the spine, his head tilted curiously, he offered to let the boy borrow it.

It had taken him a month and a half to get through it, but he’d had blurry eyes and a heavy heart when he’d read the last couple of pages under his sheets with a flashlight.

By the time he was finished with it, the book was beaten up and stained around the edges, pages were loose and dog-eared, and Alex had laughed when Reggie had attempted to return it. He told him he could have it for keeps and Reggie had given him a big, squeezing hug in return.

Now, post-death, Reggie had forgotten about his love of reading. It wasn’t until he poofed into Julie’s room one evening to ask if she wanted to play Clue with them in the studio, that he was reminded.

“But I’m going to be professor Plum of course.”

“Of course?” Julie had asked.

Reggie thrusted his hands into his jacket and snorted. “Yeah, he’s the coolest. He’s, like, educated and stuff. In science.”

Julie chuckled softly. “I’d love to play murder suspect with you guys, but I’ve gotten finish this chapter for tomorrow.”

“What’re ya reading?” he asked, jutting his chin out towards the blue and orange book in her lap. Her thumb marked her current page.

“Uh, _Lord of The Flies_ ,” Julie said, rolling her shoulders. “It’s just for English class, but I have it first period so.”

“Are you enjoying it?”

Julie tipped her head. “It’s okay. Have… you read it, Reg?”

“Nah,” Reggie said, waving a hand in front of his face. “I was supposed to back in High School but I only made it through the first chapter before we started focusing on Sunset Curve stuff.”

Julie nodded. “Fair, I guess.”

Reggie nodded. Both were nodding. Julie was the first to stop. 

“Are you going to…”

“so, did they ever find anything cool on the Island?”

“Oh,” Julie said. She was only part way through the book. “You don’t know how it ends?”

Reggie shook his head, folded his arms and swayed.

Julie hesitated, pursed her lips and looked down at the book. She was suddenly aware of his lingering. “Hey, you know, I’m kind of struggling with it. Back when mom was still around, she would let me read to her. I know you said you were going to play with the guys, but… would you let me read to you?”

Reggie’s face lit up. “Really?”

Julie patted her bed, inviting him to sit next to her. Reggie grinned and climbed on, crawling up to sit besides her, hugging his knees to his chest. 

“If you didn’t make it past chapter one - and that was, like, so many years ago - we should probably start at the beginning. Is that okay?”

Reggie nodded, eyes fixed on the yellowing pages of her second-hand copy, his chin resting on his arm. “If that’s okay with you,” he said. She thumbed back to the first page and cleared her throat, readjusting herself against her pillow. She sank back, pleased to find Reggie’s presence warming as he leaned in, heat radiating from his skin. 

“Chapter one: the sound of the shell…” she began. “ _The boy with fair hair lowered himself down the last few feet of rock and began to pick his way toward the lagoon…”_

**Author's Note:**

> Meanwhile Luke and Alex are waiting for Reggie to come back. Eventually they get bored of waiting and poof up to Julie's room to see what's happening. Would you believe what happens next? Julie's bed shouldn't be big enough for three teen boys and herself and, yet, here she is reading about island child murder to three ghost boys.


End file.
